January 24 - 27

 Dear Parents,

Please take a read below to hear about our learning in grade 1 this week.

Reminders:

We are fortunate to have Jeff Stockton in our school this week and on Wednesday, February 5 will be sharing his unique storytelling with us.  

Inline Skating

This week we wrapped up our Alien Inline skating experience.  All students showed growth in their ability to perform this skill along with showing bravery and perseverance when engaging in and attempting a new learning activity.  We ended our session with a dance party!

Learning Intentions:

Participate in physical activity in a variety of contexts to improve well-being.

Demonstrate various ways of moving safely through space during physical activity.

Perform locomotor movements in a variety of physical activity contexts.

Science

This week students enjoyed exploring and experimenting with the properties of length and area.  Students found and compared objects from around the classroom to measure, compare, discuss and document.

Learning Intention:

Compare length of different objects. 

Compare the space that different objects take up.

Math:

This week students built their understanding of equality in math.  Using a variety of numbers under 10 and with blocks and pan balances students experimented with this concept.  This concept is important as we begin to build our understanding of addition and subtraction.

Learning Intentions

Investigate equal and unequal quantities, including using a balance model.

Showing More, Less, or the Same Amount

As in Kindergarten, students in Grade 1 are asked to show an amount that is more than, less than, or the same as a given amount.

The given amount might be shown concretely, or it might be represented with a numeral.

•	For example, students might be asked to show more than this number of counters. In response, a student could show a set of 6 items.
•	Or students might be asked to show fewer than 6 items. In response, a student might show a set of 3 items.
•	To show an equal amount, a student should put out one item for each of the given items.

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How Might You Describe a Balance?

Because an equality describes a balance, students can show equality using either a mass balance or a length balance.

6 + 2 balances 4 + 4.

6 + 2 equals 4 + 4.

You can also write an equation to show a balance.

6 + 2 = 4 + 4

The equal symbol in an equation shows that the quantity on the left side balances the quantity on the right side.

8 = 8

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Helping Your Child

There are a number of books that you could read with your child that use the idea of equal amounts. Some examples are the following:

One More Bunny, by Rick Walton

Ten For Me, by Barbara Mariconda

What’s New at the Zoo?: An Animal Adding Adventure, by Suzanne Slade

As you read together, you could ask your child to interpret the equalities he or she sees in the words and pictures.

Literacy

This week we concluded our study of single alphabet letters and sounds V and Z.  Please review the home practice to support your child’s learning.  

January 20-24

Dear Parents,

We had another busy week in our classroom!  Here are some of the highlights.  

Math

Learning Intentions:

I can identify familiar shapes in various sizes and orientations.

I can model 2D shapes

I can put 2-D shapes together or take 2-D shapes apart to make other shapes and designs.  

We continued our learning of 2-D shapes.  This week we focused on recognizing shapes within other shapes.  

​​   You can put two or more 2-D shapes together to make another 2-D shape.

For example, you can put two triangles together to make a different triangle:

Or you can put the same triangles together to make a rectangle:

When you put shapes together to make another shape, you are composing shapes.

When you break a 2-D shape up into other 2-D shapes, you are decomposing a shape.

For example:

•	You can decompose a pentagon into triangles.
•	You can decompose a square into other squares.
•	You can decompose a rectangle into a variety of shapes.

We also created our own pictures using pattern blocks

Inline Skating       

Of course, one of the top highlights may have been Inline Skating for many of us!  We were patient to wait all week and excited for our first session on Friday.  We did a great job at getting our equipment on and learning some basics - such as drop stop and using our brake.  We look forward to continuing this week, and watching our skills improve!  

   

Literacy

We continue our learning of individual letter sounds, and are nearing towards the end of the individual letters of the alphabet that make their ‘most common’ sound.  This week we worked on ‘x’ and ‘Q’, and are remembering that ‘q’ and ‘u’ often go together in English words.  

Keep up the great home practising and returning our decodable texts!  

January 13-17

 Dear Parents,

What a great week we have had here in grade 1!  Take a look below to see what we have been learning.  

Literacy 

The Story Of My Name

Thank you for taking the time to discuss with your child the importance of their name and where it came from through our interview questions.  All students were excited and eager to share the stories of their names and begin the writing process of drafting their ideas through pictures and beginning to write their draft.

Learning Intention

• Share experiences, ideas, and information

• Contribute to discussions as a listener and speaker.

• Create written messages in a variety of forms to represent ideas or information

• Generate ideas that can be expressed through messages.

Math 

In math, we began looking at 2-dimensional shapes. We looked at shapes around us and began to sort and classify shapes according to their attributes.

Learning Intention

• Identify familiar shapes in various sizes and orientations.

• Sort shapes according to one attribute and describe the sorting rule.

Science

This week we welcomed a scientist in school.  Scientist Jill helped us understand the Scientific Method we have been learning about.  Students conducted an experiment and the opportunity to ask Scientist Jill a few questions.  Some of our thoughtful questions included

-How long did you have to study to be a scientist?

-Why do you need to wear a lab coat?

-What tools to you use in your lab?

Learning Intention

Ask a question sparked by curiosity. 

Predict the answer to a question. 

Describe steps of an investigation. 

Demonstrate safety and respect during investigations. 

Language Learning

This week we learned about J an Y.  Please take a look at the home practice below.

January 6-10

 January 6-10

Dear Parents,

What a busy first week back!  Take a look below to see what we have been up to in grade 1 this week!

Reminders:

-Alien Inline Skating Form is due by Wednesday, Jan 15.

-Home reading should be at school to exchange on Mondays and Wednesdays

-Library book exchange is on Wednesdays.

- Messenger Bags are helpful in the support of things coming and going from school.  If you need a new bag, please let me know.  

Science - What is Investigation?

Learning Intentions:  I can understand how investigations are carried out to try to understand the world

I can understand how observations are made using the 5 senses

I can identify how scientists record their observations and finding using different tools and methods

In Science, we continued from our work before Winter Break and answering the big question - What Does a Scientist Do?  We read books, watched videos and discovered that they have a Scientific Method to help them with the process of answering questions.

They also record information in various ways and do experiments.  We shared our learning by completing a second drawing of a scientist at work, and reflecting on how our ideas have changed.  We look forward to learning more and using the Scientific Method as we explore more of our Science concepts throughout the rest of this year.  

   

A New Year and Time for Reflection - Wellness

We took time this week as well, to think about the changing season, and how now we are “officially” in the season of Winter.  We listened to teachings from CBE Elder Saa’kokoto and what he had to share about this time of year.  We then took a few minutes at the end of the week, to connect with the land and see what we now notice.  

  

Math

Measurement

We enjoyed engaging in different activities around measuring and solving problems related to measuring length.

   

What Is Length?

Length describes the space from one end of an object to the other end when the object is pulled straight.

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Comparing Lengths Directly

You can compare the lengths of two items by starting them both at the same baseline and seeing which one sticks out farther.

Make sure both items are straight.

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Comparing Heights and Distances

You can compare heights and distances and how wide things are the same way you can compare lengths since they are really the same thing.

We often talk about height when we talk about a length that is vertical.

We often talk about distance when we talk about how far something travels, for example, how far a toy car travels when you push it.

We often talk about how wide something is if we are talking about the horizontal measurement of a 2-D or 3-D shape.

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Helping Your Child

Take advantage of everyday experiences to compare lengths, heights, widths, and distances with your child. For example, together, you could decide whether a fork or spoon is longer, whether it takes longer to cross a room in one direction than in another, or whether one box is taller or wider than another box.

Literacy

Letter l and w were reviewed and practiced this week